macbeth

• Macbeth is described as a brave and heroic figure.
• "I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition"
• "Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?"
• "O full of scorpions is my mind dear wife!"
• "Macbeth does murder sleep" - in regards to committing regicide
• "I'll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done -- Look on't again, I dare not"

  • Shift in character as he was bold and fearless previously in act 1
  • Now he is weakened mentally and riddled with guilt
• "To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself"

  • Remorseful
  • The pronoun 'my' shows that he takes responsibility
• "To be thus is nothing but to be safely thus"

  • Realises that all this is in vain if his position as king isn't secure
• "Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown"

  • Irony that he has no children so his bloodline won't continue
  • Realises that commiting regicide was not for his purpose
• "Blood will have blood" The people the macbeths have wronged will have their revenge and gain their peace blood is symbolic of guilt in the play
• "Blood will have blood"

  • The people the macbeths have wronged will have their revenge and gain their peace blood is symbolic of guilt in the play
• "So foul and fair a day I have not seen"

  Mirrors the witches speech
• "We will proceed no further in this buisness"

  • Exudes masculinity
  • Fear of retribution of both heaven and earth
  • Declarative statement
• "False face must hide what the false heart doth know"

  • Overturns his earlier vacillation portraying innocence although he knows he's guilty
  • Duplicitous behaviour
• "if chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir"